Regulating wheel

ABSTRACT

A regulating wheel for backing up a tubular workpiece in opposition to a grinding wheel in a centerless grinding apparatus, including a drive shaft, a hub fixed on the drive shaft, a sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto and having a frictional work-engaging outer surface, resilient sealing rings around the hub at axially spaced positions and engaging the sleeve to define an annular fluid-tight chamber around the hub between the hub and the sleeve, conduit means through the shaft and the hub for supplying fluid under pressure to the fluid chamber to yieldably urge the sleeve to a position concentric with the hub, at least one radially disposed projection on the hub positioned loosely in a recess in the sleeve, to cause rotation of the sleeve with the hub while permitting radial movement of the sleeve eccentric to the hub, and snap rings in the sleeve engaging opposite ends of the hub to limit movement of the sleeve axially relative to the hub, whereby the sleeve on the rapidly rotating wheel is adapted to yield radially if the work is not precisely round.

llnited States Patent 1 Primary Examiner-Donald G. Kelly Attorney Axel A. Hofgren et a1.

Schaller 45 May 15, 1973 [54] REGULATING WHEEL [75] Inventor: Robert L. Schaller, Camillus, NY. [57] ABSTRACT [73] Assignee: Sundstrand-Engelbergt lnc., regulaiipg whee] f r R tubular workpiece Syracuse NY n opposition to a grinding wheel In a centerless grindmg apparatus, mcludmg a drive shaft, a hub fixed on [22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1971 the drive shaft, a sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto and havin a frictional work-en a in [21] Appl' 209683 outer surface, resilient s aling rings around the in?) a t axially spaced positions and engaging the sleeve to [52] U.S. CI. 51/103 R, 51/135 R, 74/23() 13 define an annular fluid-tight chamber around the hub [51] Int. Cl. ..B24b 5/30 between the hub and the Sleeve, Conduit means 58 Field of Search ..51/103 .R, 236, 103 WH, through the Shaft and the hub for pp y fluid 51/135 139; 7403018 under pressure to the fluid chamber to yieldably urge the sleeve to a position concentric with the hub, at

[56] References Cited least one radially disposed projection on the hub positioned loosely in a recess in the sleeve, to cause rota- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion of the sleeve with the hub while permitting radial movement of the sleeve eccentric to the hub, and snap l,976,l 10 10/1934 Bmns ..5l/l03 R rings in the Sleeve engaging opposite ends of the hub gz i 2 33;: to limitmovement of the sleeve axially relative to the s1/139 hub, whereby the sleeve on the rapidly rotating wheel is adapted to yield radially if the work is not precisely round.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In centerless grinders of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,427,756 and 3,503,156, generally cylindrical workpieces such as tubular members are supported on a work rest between a rotatable grinding wheel, or a contact wheel supporting an endless grinding belt, and an opposed regulating wheel which holds the work against the grinding wheel or belt. In finishing tubular work, his usually desirable to grind the tube in a manner to produce a round outer surface, even if the tube is initially out-of-round. However, in some industries, it is preferable to take a uniform amount of material off the entire periphery of the work, even if the work is not round, so that the strength of the tubular material is not materially altered. In order to accommodate tubing which is out-of-round, it is necessary to permit movement of the regulating wheel back and forth toward and away from the contact wheel to accommodate the varying dimensions of the work as the work rotates. In handling relatively heavy tubing or relatively large diameter, the work usually rotates relatively slowly, and the slide carrying the regulating wheel may move back and forth toward and away from the work as the radius of the work varies. On the other hand, in grinding tubing of relatively small diameter, on the order of 1 inch or inch, the tube rotates relatively rapidly at 250-1000 r.p.m., and in such circumstances, it is difficult to obtain rapid movement of a relatively heavy slide supporting the regulating wheel and weighing as much as several hundred pounds. Thus, in conventional constructions, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory rapid movement of the regulating wheel back and forth to accommodate rapidly rotating work which is out-of-round.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION According to the present invention, a novel regulating wheel construction is provided in which an outer work engaging sleeve is yieldably urged to a position concentric around a central hub, and radially movable to accommodate varying dimensions in rapidly rotating out-of-round work.

More particularly, the regulating wheel construction includes a rotatable drive shaft, a cylindrical hub fixed on the drive shaft, a sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto, means acting between the hub and the sleeve to yieldably urge the sleeve toward a position concentric with the hub, and means connecting the hub and the sleeve to rotate together.

Additionally, means engaging the hub and the sleeve functions to limit axial movement of the sleeve relative to the hub.

In the embodiment illustrated, the means connecting the hub and the sleeve to rotate together comprises at least one radially disposed projection carried by the hub and loosely positioned in a recess in the sleeve so that the sleeve rotates with the hub though permitted to move radially relative to the hub.

Preferably, the means acting between the hub and the sleeve to yieldably urge the sleeve toward a concentric position comprises an annular fluid-tight chamber around the hub, between the hub and the sleeve, together with passage means through the hub for supplying fluid pressure to the chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective side elevational view of a centerless grinder including a regulating wheel embodying the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view through the regulating wheel of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in more detail, and particularly FIG. 1, which illustrates a centerless grinder of the type described in U.S. Pat. N 0. 3,427,756, the apparatus includes an appropriate base or frame, a portion of which is shown at 10 for purposes of supporting a work rest as at 12 in turn adapted to support workpieces such as that illustrated at W. The base 10 also carries a supporting structure as at 14 for a contact roller as at 16, about which an abrasive belt 17 is trained for engaging the work W on the rest 12. The contact roller 16 is appropriately mounted and driven in a manner to advance the grinding belt 17 past the work W. Opposite the contact wheel 16 there is a regulating wheel 18 rotatably mounted and appropriately driven in contact with the work to hold the latter against the grinding belt. The regulating wheel is mounted in a supporting structure 19 also carried on the base 10. U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,156 contains more detailed information concerning the manner in which the work rest 12, the contact wheel 16 and the regulating wheel 18 may be mounted for appropriate movement.

According to the present invention, the regulating wheel is constructed with an outer peripheral sleeve adapted to move radially to accommodate variations in the dimensions of work which is out of round. Referring to FIG. 2, a rotatable drive shaft 20 is formed with a reduced portion 22 on which a central cylindrical hub member 24 is positioned. The hub is secured to the shaft for rotation with the shaft, and in the illustration of FIG. 2, an end surface of the hub at 25 abuts an annular shoulder 26 on the shaft and is held tightly on the shaft by a lock nut as at 27 acting against the opposite end surface 29 on the hub.

The cylindrical hub 24 is surrounded by an annular sleeve including a tubular metal member 31 with a bonded abrasive material 32 on the outer surface thereof to provide a frictional work-engaging surface. The sleeve 30 is adapted to float on the cylindrical hub for movement radially relative to the hub to accommodate variations in dimensions of out-of-round work. In order to yieldably maintain the outer sleeve concentrically spaced around the hub, while permitting limited radial movement, one or more fluid-tight chambers are provided around the hub, between the hub and the sleeve. As illustrated, there are two such annular chambers 34 and 36. The chamber 34 is formed by a pair of resilient O-ring sealing members 37 and 38 encircling the hub member at axially spaced positions, and engaging the inner surface of the metal sleeve member 31. The chamber 36 is similarly formed by a pair of O-ring sealing members 39 and 40.

In order to admit fluid under pressure to the chambers 34 and 36, a central axial passage 44 is provided in the drive shaft 20, and a plurality of radial passages as at 45 communicate the passage 44 with an annular chamber 46 around the reduced shaft portion 22. In

turn, the annular chamber 46 communicates with a plurality of radial passages as at 47 through the hub member 24, terminating at the annular pressure chamber 34. Similarly, radial passages 50 in the shaft communicate the central passage 44 with an annular chamber 52. The chamber 52 communicates with fluid chamber 36 through radial passages 54 in the hub member 24.

In operation, pneumatic or hydraulic fluid supplied through the central passage 44 is delivered to the annular pressure chambers 34 and 36 around the hub 24, between the hub and the outer surrounding sleeve, in a manner to yieldably maintain the sleeve in concentric spaced relation around the hub. In the event of an excessive radius in the work, at some position on the periphery of the work, beyond that for which the regulating wheel slide is adjusted, contact of the enlarged portion of the work with the periphery of the regulating wheel sleeve will move the sleeve radially in opposition to the yieldable bias of the pressure fluid which tends to maintain the concentric relationship. In a typical installation, the clearance between the sleeve and the central hub may be on the order of 0.005 inch to 0.020 inch since most tubing would not likely be more than 0.008 inch out of round. Leakage fluid between the O- ringsealing members 38 and 39 is adapted to be removed through a drain passage as at 56. If desired, instead of two spaced fluid chambers as at 34 and 36, there may be a single fluid chamber extending from the sealing member 37 to the sealing member 40, but in that event the drain passage 56 would be eliminated. In order to prevent leakage of fluid from the annular chamber 46 on the reduced shaft portion 22, between the shaft and the hub, O-ring sealing members are provided around the shaft as illustrated at 58 and 59. Similarly, the annular chamber 52 on the shaft may be isolated by O-ring sealing members around the shaft as at 61 and 62.

Provision is made for rotation of the outer surrounding sleeve with the central hub and drive shaft by means of any suitable arrangement. As illustrated, one or more pins are rigidly mounted in the central hub as at 65, each radially disposed and projecting loosely into an appropriate recess in the metal sleeve member 31 as at 67. As shown in FIG. 2, the recess 67 extends to the end of the sleeve 31 in order to permit appropriate assembly. Usually, it will be desirable to utilize more than one driving connection between the hub and the sleeve, and pins like that at 65 may be utilized at diametrically opposite positions on the hub 24, for example. The relatively loose fit of the pin 65 in the recess 67 causes rotation of the outer sleeve with the inner hub while still permitting eccentric movement of the outer sleeve relative to the central hub in any direction within limits necessary to accommodate irregularities normally encountered in the work.

In order to limit movement of the outer sleeve axially relative to the inner hub, the metal sleeve member 31 is provided with a pair of snap rings as at 70 and 71 removably mounted in the inner surface of the sleeve at positions such that the rings engage opposite ends of the hub, adjacent the periphery of the hub. In this manner, the outer sleeve is constrained against axial movement relative to the hub, and yet either of the snap rings may be removed to facilitate removal of the outer sleeve as in the case of wear, and replacement of a new sleeve when necessary.

weight of the sleeve may readily be moved at such rates.

I claim;

1. A rotatable wheel, comprising,

a. a central hub,

b. a sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto,

c. means acting between the hub and the sleeve to yieldably urge the sleeve toward a position concentric with the hub, and

d. means connecting the hub and the sleeve to rotate together,

e. said means acting between the hub and the sleeve to yieldably urge the sleeve toward a position concentric with the hub comprising means disposed between the hub and the sleeve defining an annular fluid-tight chamber, and passage means through the hub for supplying fluid under pressure to the chamber.

2. A wheel as defined in claim 1, wherein the means defining an annular fluid-tight chamber comprises a pair of sealing rings of resilient material surrounding the hub and engaging the sleeve at axially spaced positions.

3. A rotatable wheel for engaging a rotatable generally cylindrical workpiece in a grinding apparatus or the like, comprising,

a. a central cylindrical hub,

b. an outer sleeve surrounding the hub in spaced relation thereto and having an outer work-engaging surface,

c. means disposed between the hub and the sleeve defining an annular fluid-tight chamber between the hub and the sleeve,

cl. passage means through the hub for supplying fluid under pressure to the chamber tending to maintain the sleeve concentric with the hub and permitting radial movement of the sleeve relative to the hub,

e. means connecting the hub and the sleeve to rotate together, and

f. means limiting axial movement of the sleeve relative to the hub.

4. A wheel as defined in claim 3, including resilient sealing rings around the hub and engaging the sleeve at axially spaced positions to define at least one annular fluid-tight chamber around the hub between the hub and sleeve.

5. A wheel as defined in claim 3 including a plurality of pins radially projecting from the hub at circumferentially spaced positions and loosely disposed in recesses in the sleeve to cause rotation of the sleeve with the hub while permitting radial movement of the sleeve eccentric to the hub.

6. A wheel as defined in claim 3 including snap rings in the sleeve engaging opposite ends of the hub to limit movement of the sleeve axially relative to the hub.

6 7. A regulating wheel for frictionally engaging a roing fluid under pressure to the chamber to yieldatatable generally cylindrical workpiece in a grinding bl ur e the sleeve to a position concentric wi h the apparatus, comprising, b

a. a rotatable drive shaft,

b. a cylindrical hub on the drive shaft,

c. an outer sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto and having a frictional outer surface,

d. resilient sealing rings around the hub and engaging f. a plurality of pins radially projecting from the hub at circumferentially spaced positions and loosely disposed in recesses in the sleeve to cause rotation of the sleeve with the hub while permitting radial the sleeve at axially spaced positionsto define at movement P the sleeve to hub, and least one annular fluid-tight chamber around the 10 snap the Sleeve g g g PP ends of h b between h h b d sleeve, the hub to limit movement of the sleeve axially rele. an axial passage through the drive shaft and a 111- ative 10 t u dial passage through the shaft and hub for supply- 

1. A rotatable wheel, comprising, a. a central hub, b. a sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto, c. means acting between the hub and the sleeve to yieldably urge the sleeve toward a position concentric with the hub, and d. means connecting the hub and the sleeve to rotate together, e. said means acting between the hub and the sleeve to yieldably urge the sleeve toward a position concentric with the hub comprising means disposed between the hub and the sleeve defining an annular fluid-tight chamber, and passage means through the hub for supplying fluid under pressure to the chamber.
 2. A wheel as defined in claim 1, wherein the means defining an annular fluid-tight chamber comprises a pair of sealing rings of resilient material surrounding the hub and engaging the sleeve at axially spaced positions.
 3. A rotatable wheel for engaging a rotatable generally cylindrical workpiece in a grinding apparatus or the like, comprising, a. a central cylindrical hub, b. an outer sleeve surrounding the hub in spaced relation thereto and having an outer work-engaging surface, c. means disposed between the hub and the sleeve defining an annular fluid-tight chamber between the hub and the sleeve, d. passage means through the hub for supplying fluid under pressure to the chamber tending to maintain the sleeve concentric with the hub and permitting radial movement of the sleeve relative to the hub, e. means connecting the hub and the sleeve to rotate together, and f. means limiting axial movement of the sleeve relative to the hub.
 4. A wheel as defined in claim 3, including resilient sealing rings around the hub and engaging the sleeve at axially spaced positions to define at least one annular fluid-tight chamber around the hub between the hub and sleeve.
 5. A wheel as defined in claim 3 including a plurality of pins radially projecting from the hub at circumferentially spaced positions and loosely disposed in recesses in the sleeve to cause rotation of the sleeve with the hub while permitting radial movement of the sleeve eccentric to the hub.
 6. A wheel as defined in claim 3 including snap rings in the sleeve engaging opposite ends of the hub to limit movement of the sleeve axially relative to the hub.
 7. A regulating wheel for frictionally engaging a rotatable generally cylindrical workpiece in a grinding apparatus, comprising, a. a rotatable drive shaft, b. a cylindrical hub on the drive shaft, c. an outer sleeve around the hub in spaced relation thereto and having a frictional outer surface, d. resilient sealing rings around the hub and engaging the sleeve at axially spaced positions to define at least one annular fluid-tight chamber around the hub between the hub and sleeve, e. an axial passage through the drive shaft and a radial passage through the shaft and hub for supplying fluid under pressure to the chamber to yieldably urge the sleeve to a position concentric with the hub, f. a plurality of pins radially projecting from the hub at circumferentially spaced positions and loosely disposed in recesses in the sleeve to cause rotation of the sleeve with the hub while permitting radial movement of the sleeve eccentric to the hub, and g. snap rings in the sleeve engaging opposite ends of the hub to limit movement of the sleeve axially relative to the hub. 